Aerosol generating apparatus and method and program for actuating the same

Abstract

An aerosol generating apparatus includes a load that generates heat upon receipt of electric power from a power supply and atomizes an aerosol source, an element that is used to acquire a value related to a temperature of the load, a retention unit that retains an aerosol source supplied from a storage to allow the retained aerosol source to be in a feasible state of being heated by the load, and a control unit configured to perform a control to increase a retaining quantity of the retained aerosol source or a control to improve the possibility of increasing the retaining quantity, at at least one of a time of starting a supply of the electric power from to the load and a time of completing the supply of the electric power to the load, upon detection of a dry state or a sign of the dry state

1 . An aerosol generating apparatus comprising:
 a sensor configured to detect an inhalation time period;   a user interface; and   a controller configured to
 determine if a length of the inhalation time period is longer than a predetermined threshold; and 
 in response to the length of the inhalation time period is longer than the predetermined threshold, output a notification through the user interface. 
   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol generating apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a load configured to generate heat and to atomize an aerosol source;   a container configured to store the aerosol source; and   a fibrous or porous material configured to retain the aerosol source from the container to allow the retained aerosol source to be in a feasible state of being heated by the load, wherein   the controller is further configured to perform, in response to the length of the inhalation time period is longer than the predetermined threshold, a control for increasing a retaining quantity of the aerosol source in the fibrous or porous material, or for improving the possibility of increasing the retaining quantity.   
     
     
         3 . The aerosol generating apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the control includes a control for making an interval from the completion of generation of an aerosol to the start of subsequent generation of an aerosol longer than a previous interval. 
     
     
         4 . The aerosol generating apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to perform the control after output of the notification. 
     
     
         5 . The aerosol generating apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a load configured to generate heat and to atomize an aerosol source;   a container configured to store the aerosol source; and   a fibrous or porous material configured to retain the aerosol source from the container to allow the retained aerosol source to be in a feasible state of being heated by the load, wherein   the predetermined threshold is determined in order to detect a dry state in which a temperature of the load exceeds a boiling point of the aerosol source due to a condition where the container is capable of supplying the aerosol source while the aerosol source retained by the fibrous or porous material is insufficient in quantity, or to detect a sign of the dry state.   
     
     
         6 . The aerosol generating apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to increase a retaining quantity of the aerosol source retained by the fibrous or porous material after outputting the notification and before increasing the interval. 
     
     
         7 . An aerosol generating apparatus comprising:
 a sensor configured to detect an inhalation time period;   a load configured to generate heat and to atomize an aerosol source;   a container configured to store the aerosol source; and   a fibrous or porous material configured to retain the aerosol source from the container to allow the retained aerosol source to be in a feasible state of being heated by the load; and   a controller configured to
 determine if a length of the inhalation time period is longer than a predetermined threshold; 
 in response to the length of the inhalation time period being longer than the predetermined threshold, output a notification through a user interface, 
 after output of the notification, further determine if the length of the inhalation time period is longer than predetermined threshold, and 
 in response to the length of the inhalation time period further being longer than the predetermined threshold, perform a control for increasing a retaining quantity of the aerosol source in the fibrous or porous material, or for improving the possibility of increasing the retaining quantity. 
   
     
     
         8 . The aerosol generating apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to
 determine a number of times the length of an inhalation time period is longer than the predetermined threshold,   compare the number of times to a predetermined number,   in response to the number being less than or equal to the predetermined number, output the notification, and   in response to the number being greater the predetermined number, perform the control.   
     
     
         9 . The aerosol generating apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the control includes a control for making an interval from the completion of generation of an aerosol to the start of subsequent generation of an aerosol longer than a previous interval. 
     
     
         10 . The aerosol generating apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to increment the number before comparing to the predetermined number. 
     
     
         11 . The aerosol generating apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the predetermined threshold is determined in order to detect a dry state in which a temperature of the load exceeds a boiling point of the aerosol source due to a condition where the container is capable of supplying the aerosol source while the aerosol source retained by the fibrous or porous material is insufficient in quantity, or to detect a sign of the dry state.   
     
     
         12 . The aerosol generating apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to increase a retaining quantity of the aerosol source retained by the fibrous or porous material after outputting the notification and before increasing the interval. 
     
     
         13 . An aerosol generating apparatus, comprising:
 a power supply;   a load configured to generate heat upon receipt of electric power from the power supply and atomize an aerosol source;   an element configured to acquire a value related to a temperature of the load;   a circuit configured to electrically connect the power supply and the load;   a container configured to store the aerosol source;   a fibrous or porous material configured to retain the aerosol source supplied from the container to allow the retained aerosol source to be in a feasible state of being heated by the load; and   a controller configured to:   detect a dry state in which the temperature of the load exceeds a boiling point of the aerosol source due to a condition where the container is capable of supplying the aerosol source while the aerosol source retained by the fibrous or porous material is insufficient in quantity, or a sign of the dry state, and   upon detection of the dry state, or upon detection of a sign of the dry state,
 perform a control of the aerosol generating apparatus other than increasing an interval from a completion of generation of an aerosol to a start of subsequent generation of an aerosol, and 
 then increase an interval from a completion of generation of an aerosol to a start of subsequent generation of an aerosol longer than a previous interval. 
   
     
     
         14 . The aerosol generating apparatus according to  claim 13 , further comprising a user interface, wherein the control includes outputting a notification through a user interface. 
     
     
         15 . The aerosol generating apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to detect the dry state or the sign of the dry state when a length of an inhalation time period is longer than a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         16 . The aerosol generating apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to increase a retaining quantity of the aerosol source retained by the fibrous or porous material after outputting the notification and before increasing the interval.